Here is a tip on how to use a sock with 3 tennis balls inside. I learned this from the late and great Vic Braden. It works and is a fantastic way to practice at home.
Program the swing and then toss to the swing!
I learned this from the legendary Coach Steve Smith. The shape of the swing on a topspin ground stroke goes high-low-high and inside-out. This is a critical concept to understand from the beginning because it sets the stage for an efficient stroke. Later on it also leads to the development of lag or use of the stretch shortening cycle.
The hips play a crucial role in transferring forces from the ground, up through the body and out into the racket. The role they play is a fundamental one in striking sports.
Here is a video of my 3 year-old son swinging a 26 inch racket two-handed. Without even knowing it he is learning how to use the hip in this manner.
Teaching is simply information transfer.
Winning in tennis is a by-product of skills. Tennis strokes are mastered by learning how to perform them and then practicing, a lot.
When learning a skill like the forehand practice is slow and deliberate at first. When a fundamental baseline of skill is established then speed is increased and technique adapts in response to situations presented in the game.
I have had success getting players to acquire skills at home during the pandemic with nothing more than a Zoom call, sometimes an Eye Coach, and a routine of a few minutes of daily practice. I am even finding strokes can be mastered quickly at home because the player’s attention is 100% on their performance of the skill instead of where the ball goes after they hit it. The convenience of practicing at home for just a few minutes each day also makes consistently showing up to practice easy.
Above is are examples of online coaching. If you are interested please reach out to me for more information. One great thing that has come from this pandemic is that my skillset has improved and adapted. I am a better coach. I have acquired more coaching skills!
A few weeks ago I began an experiment. I wanted to teach myself to play tennis right handed. As a reference I am actually left handed in all I do.
I wanted to do this experiment for several reasons.
So each night my 4 year old son and I head down to the garage and pull out the cars. I toss him some balls, he tries to hit me, he gets some coaching without knowing it and we have a lot of fun before bed. Once he loses interest I spend 5 minutes practicing with my right hand. Sometimes I practice with only a racket doing shadow swings and other times I use my Eye Coach (Coupon Code “SlezakPro” gets you a discount). My practice session is not long but I do it each and every day.
In a couple of few weeks I have seen tremendous growth. More importantly I have found out exactly how to speed up the process of acquiring a skill and it even works well in a pandemic.
I am not surprised by any of the things I learned. In fact it only reinforces what I have known as a coach for years. But I hope learning to play with my opposite hand in my late 30’s inspires youngsters to practice just a few minutes each and every day wherever and however they can.
We will begin doing clinics at Lakevue Athletic Club on Sunday’s beginning November 8th.
Elementary Aged Players 11am – 12pm
Middle & High School Aged Players 12pm – 2pm
I plan on keeping the number of players limited due to COVID-19 so please register early if you wish to join us.
All the information and online registration can be found here.
Winter Tennis 2020 Information & Registration
It was an honor for me to be on the master of speed Lee Taft’s tennis specific podcast this past week. Check it out!
I am taking a little time off from coaching tennis to spend with my family. However, once I get back I will continue with private lessons through the fall. It worked extremely well this summer given the current situation and allows me more flexibility right now. Once we get closer to the winter I’ll re-evaluate doing clinics once again. If you are interested please email me info@alexslezak.com.
I have spent more hours than I care to count developing strokes, studying technique and using video to enhance skill acquisition. The difference between good and elite technique is often small and takes a deep understanding of biomechanics. All elite groundstrokes and serves have the same fundamentals for power production, use of elastic energy and spin maximization. Although it may look like professional players at the top of the game have different mechanics they are all fundamentally the same. The way the human body (joints, muscles and nervous system) assemble a movement pattern makes it as unique to an individual as their DNA but the fundamentals remain the same.
The technology in our phones have made what was once impossible to see with the human eye as simple as using the slow motion function. With the knowledge it is now easier than ever to analyze technique, identify limiting factors and objectively measure improvement over time. The visual learning style also allows players to āsee themselvesā instead of only being able to āfeelā what they are doing on the court.
If you are interested in video analysis please contact me via email info@alexslezak.com for more information.
Unfortunately, with all that is going on with COVID-19 and the announcement that the high school campus will be closed this summer due to construction we will NOT be able to hold our regularly scheduled 2020 tennis camps.
As disappointing and unfortunate as that is I do have some good news. I will still be available for private lessons this summer. If this is something that would interest you please get in contact with me via email info@alexslezak.com or phone for the details.
Teaching all outdoor private lessons this summer will allow for the safest, most productive and flexible way to continue playing tennis.
I appreciate all the support over the years, stay safe and please keep in touch!
Coach Alex Slezak